CHAPTER 23
Letting his betrothed enjoy her much-needed meal in peace, he swam off – but not too far off – to catch his own fish. Unlike Ruto, however, he subdued said fish with the fin-blades on his forearms, and he certainly had no intention of eating them raw.
How would he preserve them for future consumption, though?
Once he'd caught enough fish for a week's worth of travel, he returned to find Ruto exactly where he'd left her, with her quarry reduced to bones that drifted away in the current. "Feeling better?"
Ruto belched and rolled over, her eyes shut. "Much. Thank you."
"Good. Now, how might I preserve these. . . . . . . . .?"
Ruto opened one eye to see Link's bountiful catch – then popped both eyes open in shock. "That's quite the bounty for one meal," she remarked.
"Which is why I need stronger preservatives than the World's Finest Eye Drops."
Luckily, he knew exactly where to get the preservatives and what to barter for them. Unluckily, he realized that it might be imprudent to bring Ruto along.
"Dr. Mizumi has them for a fair price," he explained. "Well, as fair as a doctor's price can be. The only problem is, he also has a certain. . . . . . . . .scientific fascination with Zora hatchlings. I can't risk that man seeing you in this condition, so I need you to stay here for a moment."
Ruto blinked and shuddered in terror, needing no further explanation. "Link. . . . . . . . .?"
"Wait for me on the shore, beneath that tree. I'll return as soon as I can."
With that, he swam to the water's surface, kicking his legs as hard as he could. Within seconds, he breached the surface with enough force to scale the ledges of the island before him, landing on the smooth grass with almost no effort.
He looked back, only for a moment, toward the tree whose shade sheltered Ruto. She would be all right until he returned from Dr. Mizumi's laboratory. . . . . . . . .right?
Ruto watched from beneath the water as Link turned and rushed through the maze of rope-bridges that connected Lake Hylia's shores to the small islands surrounding it. She couldn't help but steal a glance at the submerged columns that held up the Water Temple – the holy place to which she'd once been bound by her duty as a Sage. A burden that she'd shouldered happily for a while, but. . . . . . . . .
She shook her head, forbidding herself to dwell upon her former misery. She was free now, free to do whatever she wanted (within reason, of course) – and, most of all, free to spend the rest of her life with her beloved Link. That was all that mattered. . . . . . . . .right?